The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-20

Brooks * Nicely fire. we have the compress
shed fire on Adams street; we have the
compress shed fire in the navy yard; we
have the compress shed fire in Little Rock,
and fires on flats on the railways, and
during all these months past, and more
especially these last three weeks, the
burning OF buildings has been noticaby
small, thereby saving the ancient chestnut
ofdefective iiues from beingparaded about.
Then why, 1t may be asked, that fires
| should occur by spontaneous combustion
caused by electrical influences amongst the
cotton bales in the compress sheds, why
not in all the other sheds where other cot
ton bales are stored? For the reason that
the same conditions are not alike for the
| production OF the spontaneous combustion
IN the non-compress sheds us in the com
| press sheds.
! llf the compress, with its boilers, were
isolated, and worked as they now work,
blowing off high pressure steam every
| minute OF the twCnty-fOur hour day, il
would make the highest power hydro.
| electric machine ever dreamt OF, and, with
| certain arrangements attached to them,
| would give oil streams of electric sparks
| twenty-five feet long, mure powerful in
electric effect than all the dynamo ma
force, If properly confined, to kill every
living being in Memphis at one blow.
| This is the demon and this demon |
propose to expose, IN show his methods
and how TO subdue him in the future.
This demon Of the shed. not being so-
| lated, instantaneous effects are not pro-
| duced, but the quantity Of electricity is
| generated the same, passing by non-insulu-
ton into the ground, and part into the air.
The cotton bales, being bad conductors,
are therefore good insulators, therefore
aiders In combining eleciricity-iorming
storage batteries. The absence at this
| period Of the usual electrical disturbances
in the earth and air, tho mductiye force
from our demon is favored. for the gencr-
ated electricity from the same is not dissi-
| pated in the mir or the earth, but passes
| its positive current downward into the
earth and rises up again into the bales, and
there ~ arrested and conserved. awaiting
only favorable condition 10 escape again.
| The negative pole OF this demon dissi-
| patcs its negative electricity into the air.
nut on account OF the extreme dryncss OF
thrsamo finds no moansof being conducted
away-ior, remember, electricity IL helpless
| without q conductOr-ialls, for want of u
cOnveyOr, 10 the shed roofs, and in the us
phalt and tar coverings finds congeninl
storage place; for asphalt and tar are pro-
duceB ot negative electricity. Now, let us
look at the condition: Our electrical de-
mon has necessarily been generating cleo
trical currents, which have been stored IN
our lcyden jars. The cotton bales and
the asphalt roofs, the tin cutters
and the down spOuls are our metallic con
| duCtors. Now, in consequence OF all
necessary conditions not being perfect, in
Simultaneous results arc not Obtained but
gradually these forces arc stored until
some change in the earth or atmosphere,
winds, storms or clouds comes forward 20
destroy this quitsccnce and upseis The
equilibrium OF the forces. Then when this
change occurs the forces meet and the
combustion and burning 81 the bales oc-
cur The production OF this electrical
phenomena OF spontaneous combustion OF
The cotton bales il iayOrced by certain con.
diliOns Of the sheds.
!. Their good drainage and dryncss --
wood plhnking and skids, brick walls and
wood rOof framing and shcathing, all OF
which are extremely dry, and kept IN, IN
a commercial point Of view, for the cot.
toms sake, makes them bad conductors.
.. The metal cutters and drain pipes are
good conductors and conveyors.
3. The asphalt roofing storage for the
negative electricity. aud the cotton balcu
for the positive element
II the negative element II in excess, then
Il flies TO the cotton bales, they being posi-.
tive. and combustion Of the same is the
result. II, ON the other hand. the posi-.
tive electricity in the bales is in excess
over the negative electricity in the asphalt
roof, then IL flies 10 the roof, or conveyed
by the metal conductors, but II meets IT,
enemy in an open field. and the union,
taking place ON allat surface and largo area,
becomes neutralized; the effects finding no
resistance on the fiat surface are diSipated
and pass of. But not 10 when the dis.
charge occurs in the cotton bale, the posi-
tive element IL confined and shows great
resistance 10 the union with the negative
element. Thisrsistancc means force. The
production OF electric force IL the produc.
ton Of heat; the production 81 heat is the
production Of combustion; the production
Of combustion il the production II flame,
and the flame produces the conllagmtion.
This u 4 very pretty electrical fairy tale.
the maitcr-oi-fact business man will say.
but fairy tale or no iiiry tale. all that
have stated are scientific truths, and can
| iNN fsAritN NilNNN ~ lAlf AliNTAlNfN fNIllNs
sions by these fluids and their inducliyc
Phenomena.
Il may bc asked II this demon of electric
force il ~ dangerous, why should no OK.
ist? We answer. let him live. for II isonly
At certain times and under certain condi.
tons II the earth and the atmosphere that
he has power Of harm, and these condi.
tons having Just occurred, his power Oi
harm has been done This epidemic with
this demon may not again occur In the
present century, or u ever agnin, but the
movement oi the elements of earth and
mir arr mysterious and past finding out.
We should. Therefore, be- prepared, and
with the fairy tale told, as our guide, NJ
arrange our forces 10 circumycnt this snys.
tcrinus enemy Allow no resistance IN his
passage, for without resistance no force can
b. produced. Therefore, no force, no
flame.
Can this he donc2 Certainly; and more,
too knowing his moycmcnis. We can cir.
cumvcnt thom; by induction we can In.
duce him to take and keep other paths.
We can diSsipate him In the atmosphere
or bury him Ia the ground. We can 10 ar.
mngc our surrounding that all currents
will DC plrilyzcd, and the forces idio-clcc.
trio and an-elcciric DO chained and sub.
scryicnt Ia our will.
VIII frc-proof warehouses, with cellular
compartments. 10 ~ ! say no: Tor II the
lighining'n flash scales the mountain top
and LEAPS the valley in the twinkle of the